Thanks for the reviews! I must say, however, that I don't profess to be a scientist. I'm just a humble fic writer who has a somewhat vivid imagination, so therefore have no understanding of the logistics of time-travel. I did mention in chapter three that Jackie and the Tok'ra had discovered a time-travelling device, which she was wearing, also I hope this chapter can clarify your questions; but hey, it makes a good story line…after all it is only a story!

Feb04 – Hi neighbour! And who says it can't be?

Well, here's even more fluff for you guys, but the best is yet to come.

Harbinger of Sorrow...Herald of Joy.

By Lingren.

Previously:

"Thank you Sir." She stood up, smiling at him, and saluted smartly, before she hurried from the room. He really was a Teddy bear she grinned to herself. Everything had just dropped into place. They had the President's blessing to be with each other. She had the reassurance she needed. Nothing could stop them from being together now.

Chapter 9

"How's he doing Janet?" Sam asked as she entered the Infirmary.

She looked across at the still unconscious form of Jack O'Neill. Lying pale against the pastel green of the infirmary pillows. His burned hand bandaged and lying on a soft cushion to his side. Sam touched it gently, and her mind flashed back to seeing that bolt of energy entering him through his hand where he'd held the device. He was attached to the monitors, and they bleeped out their mournful tune, reminding her that he was still vulnerable. Janet had managed to revive him, and his heart beat an even rhythm now, but they still had no idea if he'd suffered any lasting damage to his brain through lack of oxygen.

According to Jackie's letter he was going to be just fine, but it still continued to worry her. Their daughter never mentioned to anyone if Jack was still working at the SGC afterwards, only her, and she had referred to Jack as being like a big kid. She eased down onto the hard plastic chair once more, and took his good hand in hers, gently squeezing it briefly, resting it firmly in hers, letting him know she was there with him again.

More hours passed and Janet kept returning to check on him. Sam dozed slightly, nestling her head on her arms at the edge of the bed, still clinging to his hand.

OoOoOoOoO

The incessant beeping of the monitor had been his constant companion as he drifted in and out of a place with soft lights, and nothingness. Gradually the noise pierced his sub-consciousness and he realised it was the sound of life. His life. He was still alive. Jack forced his eyes open and looked up at the ceiling, blinking against the brightness of the room. He acclimatised his eyes and looked around, recognising the truth. His softly spoken words rousing Sam from her sleep.

"I made it," he gasped, his voice barely above a whisper.

Sam's head shot up, and she grinned widely at him.

"Yes Jack, you made it back. Thank God." A tear snaked down her cheek, and he tried to lift his hand to wipe it away. He only managed to raise it a few inches before he realised he had IV lines attached to it. He gave up the effort and let his hand drop back to the bed. He tried with the other hand but Sam stopped him, laughing softly at his confusion when he saw the bandages.

"It's okay." She wiped the moisture away herself, trying not to let more fall. "Save your strength Jack. You've had a rough time."

"Tell me about it," he croaked. "Did I get flattened by a semi-truck? 'Cause that's what it feel like."

"You got zapped by the device on P7Z 488 and technically you...died, but we managed to revive you..." her voice trailed off as Janet arrived, after hearing them talking.

"Colonel. Good to see you're awake at last," she said brightly. "You had us all worried there for a while." He tried to move, wanting to sit up, but gave up, groaning, exhausted by the effort. She flashed her pen-light into his sensitive eyes, making him flinch. She studied the monitors, and asked him a whole bunch of questions which he answered with his usual sarcasm. In the end she was smiling broadly. "Well," she said looking over at Sam, " he seems to be responding just fine. You were luck Colonel, now lie still Sir. You're still very weak. Your body needs to recover properly. It's been through a very traumatic experience."

"I guess dying could be classed as traumatic," he agreed, grinning through the soreness. "My chest feels like someone hit it with a sledgehammer."

"That would be from the compressions to restart your heart. I'll give you something for the pain."

"No...it's okay. It's just a llittle sore. Thanks...but no thanks."

"Good. Well, I'll leave you two to talk. Not too long though. Sam, make sure he doesn't tire too much. Take it easy Sir. It's early days yet."

"Yeah...sure Doc," he sighed at the prospect of lying there for any number of days until Doc released him.

Janet smiled down at him, and then looked up at Sam again. Her expression unreadable to Jack. He waited until she was in her office before he spoke again.

"Sooo..." he began, not really sure what to say. After all, he recalled, the last time they had spoken to each other had been in anger.

"Jack...I'm really sorry I doubted you," she began.

"Huh?" he muttered blankly, looking up at her, more confused than before.

"I didn't understand what was going on. I overheard Jackie call Janet Mother, and I thought..."

"You thought that I...? Me and the Doc...? Oh puleeease! I may be a bit of a bastard sometimes Sam, but I mean...me and...that...that Napoleonic power-monger? You gotta be kiddin'? Besides, I would never do that to you Sam." He looked up into her moist blue eyes. "I love you Samantha Carter. With all my heart," he whispered softly, looking around to see if anyone was in hearing distance. "We have a lot to talk about."

"Yes Jack we do, and my answer is yes," she beamed widely, her smile lighting up her face and almost splitting it in two.

"Yes? You can say that? I haven't even asked you yet."

"I know, but you're hardly in a position to get down on one knee," she laughed.

Jack caught his breath, which ended with a coughing fit, sending the alarms on the monitors into overdrive. Sam handed him a drink, making sure he didn't choke over it. He lay back exhausted, weariness almost overcoming him. Janet rushed up to him, to check on his vitals, warning him again about getting excited. Happy that he was still okay, she reluctantly left them to it.

"You've spoken to Jackie haven't you?" he accused, when his breathing had settled. "Where is she?" he asked hoping to see her again.

"No I didn't get the chance to talk with her. She went home, just before we returned. Once she knew you were safe, she said she had to leave. Said her 'self-fulfilling' prophecy had succeeded, and she had a new life to go home to. Apparently she set her device to return to sometime before she left. I just wish I could ha..."

"Ack! Don't go there Sam. That's for the future!"

She sighed with a little regret but knew he was right. She couldn't have studied it anyway.

He smiled at the memory of their chat, and hoped that her new life was everything she'd wanted. His eyelids fluttered closed and he drifted off to sleep. He was so tired.

Sam pulled herself closer to his bedside, and leaned over to lightly kiss his brow, before settling down in the chair to stay beside him.

It was some hours later when he awoke again. Sam was still there, talking softly with Janet, who, once again checked him over.

"Good to see you're awake again Sir. How d'you feel today?"

"Fine." He meant it too, he felt stronger than...yesterday? Was it another day already? How had he slept for so long?

"Feel like some breakfast Colonel?"

"Sounds good, I'm starving."

Janet helped him sit up a bit, Sam fluffing up the pillows and placing them at his back. Moving was still a problem, he felt like a wet rag, and lay back, nestling into the soft support wearily. Just the effort to sit up had tired him. Janet watched him closely.

"It will take a little time Colonel, to get your strength back. It's not everyday you die several times and still survi...ve..." her words trailed off. She had almost forgotten about his time with Ba'al. So much had happened lately, she just didn't think and knew by his expression that the unwanted reminder had caused him grief again. "Sorry Sir...but it is what happened." He looked at her puzzled, so she told him how many times he had to be revived until they got him stabilised. "Technically Sir, you died almost half a dozen times, and each time Sam, and Jonas or Teal'c worked on you to bring you back again, that's why you're so sore. I managed to stabilise you using the defibrillator, and with medication so far it's worked and you're still with us."

The sheer willpower of them all to prevent him from dying shocked him. He hadn't realised how much heartache it must have caused Sam to go through all that. He shook his head.

"What can I say Doc, Sam? Thanks. It's not much, but for what it's worth...Thank you."

"I'll go get you something to eat." She smiled, suddenly feeling in the way, judging by the look shared between Sam and Jack as he tried to come to terms with what Sam had done for him. She turned and walked out of the room, leaving them to talk.

"I had no idea. God Sam...hell... It must have frightened the life out of you. Are you okay?" he asked, taking her hand in his, whilst trying not to dislodge the IV needle. She nodded, smiling back at him.

"Yeah...I'm okay now. Jack...I'm sorry...It was all my fault. I should never have..."

"Ack...don't. It's all over with. I'm fine. At least I will be. There's no need to say anything Sam." He wanted to say more, but the door opened and General Hammond entered the room, having been told by Janet, that his 2IC was now awake. Jack pulled his hand away from Sam's grip, hoping his CO hadn't seen them holding hands.

"Jack. Good to see you've decided to join us again," he smiled, but then his face took on a stern look, and Jack wondered what was coming. "Colonel, I believe you have some serious explaining to do." Hammond gave Sam a quick look and a certain understanding passed between them.

Jack gulped.

"Uh...Yes Sir. About that. Ah...we really need to talk Sir." he blustered.

Jack wasn't sure just what or how much the General knew, but he wracked his brains trying to come up with an easy way to admit he'd led his 2IC astray, and crossed that forbidden line of fraternisation.

"You couldn't even stick to those regs, could you? You had to go just that one step further," Hammond began, sounding annoyed.

General Hammond looked down at him expectantly, and Jack was puzzled by Sam's behaviour; she'd quickly turned away from him and walked away, holding her hand over her mouth, as she disappeared down the corridor. Seeing her shoulders shaking and he believed she was crying. The General seemed to ignore her, leaving him to explain everything by himself.

"Uh well. We...er...that is I..." He struggled to find the right words. "It's like this Sir. Carter and I... em...Sam and I...we..."

Hammond could contain himself no longer as he watched his second, squirming beneath his hard gaze, and grinned down at Jack's indecisive face. He thought it was probably the one and only time he would ever see Jack actually lost for words. He laughed outright now, deciding at last to put the man out of his misery. He stretched out a hand and laid it on Jack's shoulder, patting him reassuringly.

"It's okay son. I know all about it. I've already spoken to the President and as a result, you two have his permission to pursue your relationship. Major Carter will be standing down from the Air Force but will be able to stay put in her lab, which means of course that she will no longer be under your command. This world owes you and Sam, Jack. You deserve some happiness out of it. Sam will fill you in on all the details later."

Jack looked up at him in amazement.

"I...We can?" he stuttered, breathlessly. "No Court-martials?"

Hammond just shook his head smiling back at him.

"Wow," he grinned. Suddenly everything became too much for his fragile body, and his vision dimmed, the world spun with the earth-shattering news. It was too much for him to take in. His face blanched, and he closed his eyes against the unwelcome feelings coiling through him as his heart sped up. The monitors began to screech a warning, making Hammond step back hurriedly as Janet and her staff rushed in. Even as the Doctor leaned over him, her stethoscope poised above him, Jack slowly opened his eyes again. Janet listened as his heart rate settled down once more, though it was still a little rapid, for her liking, and she noticed he was slightly breathless. He grinned at them sheepishly. "Guess that came as a bit of a shock," he whispered weakly.

"Take it easy Colonel. Relax." Janet reset all the machines again, and glared at the General. "No more excitement today Sir, it's not good for the Colonel." Hammond sighed, looking duly chastised, but the relief he felt when Jack had seemed to recover quickly enough, helped to dispel any guilt he felt at causing the problem in the first place.

"I'm fine...really," Jack insisted, but lacking the strength behind his words for anyone to take him seriously. In reality he felt tired, bone tired. His whole body felt weary, and was still reeling after the startling announcement by his CO.

"Of course you are Sir," Janet quipped dryly, "That's why the monitors went haywire. Any more of that and I'll ban all visitors for a few days."

General Hammond took the hint.

"I'll leave you to think it over Jack. Just...rest easy."

"Yes Sir. Thank you Sir...for everything."

Hammond grinned back, from his position by the door, before he left the room. "My pleasure Jack," he countered.

TBC